toyotatom93

So this morning when I tried to push in my ebrake it was like something came loose that holds the cable to the hand lever.
My lever was freely moving with no resistance but could not be pushed fully in. And my brake cable was still tight, light on and wheels not rolling.
I pulled her into the garage and let the garage heat up while I had to do errands.
When I came back to try and fix it I tried to push the lever back into it's off position...and it went in; unlike before. So I gave it a pull expecting no resistance and there now was.
So my question is do you think letting it thaw out in the garage did something, as I washed it last night and the locks and doors were frozen shut this morning.
And how does the lever connect to the cable?
I think I may have threaded the lever back on by accident somehow so I want to know if it threaded like a screw or a pin and slot type connection (basicly should I twist the lever a few times to thread it in better or am I good the way it is now?)

Jay351

I bet you the brake froze. Mine did the same thing, and I was not able to drive my truck till the weather warmed up (afternoon) I would suggest not putting your e-brake on unless you really have to, in the cold weather that is.

DeathCougar

iTrader: (23)

i have had the same issue. Frozed park brake cable.

Might be a good idea to hit the cable with some graphite lube to keep it from doing that.

toyotatom93

That is such a relief to hear it's just froze and it's happend to other people. I'm hoping it because of the wash then because it's going to be way colder then what it was last night. I would like to think my truck could handle minus 30 with no worries.
And ya I park it on level ground anyway so like I did today I will probably not pull the brake untill it warms up or if I have to.

Kaydon

I never use mine and just leave it in first But I have had that happen before with my nissan.

DeathCougar

iTrader: (23)

thats a very very bad idea. Its incredibly easy for a truck to move itself when in first gear. If anything, you want it in 5th or reverse.

remember 1st gear is about 4:1. That gear reduction will make it easy for the engine to turn over. All you are relying on is compression to stop the truck, so if the engine turns over easy becuase of gear reduction, it will also roll easy.

Long story short: Put it in 5th or Reverse.

bleakhorizon

lol yeah prob frozen. i used to have a 84 subaru wagon that the pedal would pulse up and down a couple of inches LITERALLY untill the ice broke outa the drums or whatever

Im gona have to test that 5th gear thing sounds sorta backwards to me cause 1st and reverse are the closer than 5th

82yota

Yea if going by what you say then reverse would be even worse than 1st. Its a lower gear. We have a bunch of standards around here and they always sit in 1st gear and have never ever moved. If an 82 will hold a 21 foot fibreglass boat in 1st low than it should have no problems just holding a truck.

ozziesironmanoffroad

yeah ive always heard the opposite. ive heard you always put it in 1st because 5th is a taller gear

reyna12

any ice or snow on the ground?

i used to have to knock off the ice/snow from the little lever that is mounted on the axle before i could drive my truck. The snow would hold it in the locked position.

Crawling underneath my truck on the cold snow with a hammer = no fun

rowdy235

you do not park it in 5th. You park it in first. Sometimes reverse.

Think about it, (consider 1st is 4:1) for every four turns of the motor, the driveshaft turns one turn. So, if you turn the driveshaft one turn, it will have to turn the motor 4 times.

If fifth is .75:1, for ever .75 turns of the motor, the driveshaft turns one turn, so when you turn the driveshaft one turn, it will have to turn the motor .75 times.

.75 is a lot easier than 4 turns, so first is the better gear to park it in. I always park my truck in first, most of the time without the brake on. Its never moved.

PS Me and my cousin tried this one day, he put his car in fifth and we were actually able to push it along in gear, on level ground.

CJM

Reverse is the gear period. I wouldnt use anything else..

DeathCougar

iTrader: (23)

perhaps I am backwards.....


I retract my statement!

However, reverse is the gear I always use for sure.

4banginRunner

i always park my truck in reverse

found out (when i was first learning stick) not to park it in reverse when ur facing uphill and the e-brake dont work lol, i put it in 3rd for that

Jay351

when on a hill, tire against the curb always works best. I used to do that all the time when my e-brake was busted.